Cooling module assembly and method of sealing a cooling module assembly

ABSTRACT

A cooling module assembly is provided for a motor vehicle. That cooling module assembly includes a radiator module and a charge air cooler module. The radiator module includes a radiator and a radiator shroud having a chamfered margin. The charge air cooler module includes a charge air cooler and a charge air cooler shroud with an integral seal. An interference fit and seal are provided between the integral seal and the radiator shroud adjacent the chamfered margin when the cooling module assembly is fully assembled. A related method of sealing the cooling module assembly is also disclosed.

TECHNICAL FIELD

This document relates generally to the motor vehicle equipment field and, more particularly, to a cooling module assembly for a motor vehicle as well as to a related method for sealing a cooling module assembly.

BACKGROUND

Maximum air flow through the charge air cooler is required for a motor vehicle engine to provide maximum power and performance and utmost efficiency. Accordingly, it is important for a charge air cooler shroud to provide an air seal to prevent a degradation of air flow due to leaks.

To reach this goal a charge air cooler shroud must mate with and seal against the radiator shroud. In certain motor vehicle applications, the radiator module, including the radiator shroud, is carried on the body while the charge air cooler module, including the charge air cooler shroud, is carried on the chassis. Thus, it is necessary to mate the radiator shroud with the charge air cooler shroud during body decking to the chassis. This complicates the process of providing a proper seal between the two shrouds.

This document relates to a new and improved cooling module assembly wherein the radiator shroud includes a chamfered margin and the charge air cooler shroud includes an integral seal. Advantageously, the chamfered margin guides the radiator shroud so that it is efficiently inserted inside the integral seal without damaging the components so that the integral seal provides air tight sealing against the outer surface of the radiator shroud to maximize charge air cooling and thereby optimize engine performance.

SUMMARY

In accordance with the purposes and benefits described herein, a cooling module assembly is provided for a motor vehicle. That cooling module assembly comprises a radiator module and a charge air cooler module. The radiator module includes a radiator and a radiator shroud having a chamfered margin. The charge air cooler module includes a charge air cooler and a charge air cooler shroud with an integral seal. Advantageously, an interference fit and seal are provided between the integral seal and the radiator shroud adjacent the chamfered margin during the decking of the body to the chassis of the motor vehicle.

The radiator module may also include a mechanical fan swivel and the integral seal may also include an arcuate edge section for engaging the mechanical fan swivel.

The motor vehicle may also include a radiator support cross member and the integral seal may include a first notch at a first end and a second notch at a second end for receiving and engaging the radiator support cross member.

The integral seal may be made from ethylene propylene diene monomer. Further, the integral seal may seal against an outer surface of the radiator shroud when the radiator module and charge air cooler module are properly seated together during assembly of the motor vehicle.

In accordance with an additional aspect, a method is provided of sealing a cooling module assembly for a motor vehicle. That method comprises the steps of: (a) mating a body, including a radiator module, to a chassis, including a charge air cooler module, and providing a seal between an integral seal on a charge air cooler shroud of the charge air cooler module and an outer surface of the radiator shroud of the radiator module.

Still further, the method may include the step of guiding the radiator shroud inside the integral seal of the charge air cooler shroud by means of a chamfered margin of the radiator shroud. Still further, the method may include the step of providing the integral seal with an arcuate edge section to engage with the mechanical fan swivel of the radiator module.

In addition, the method may include the step of providing the integral seal with a first notch at a first end and a second notch at a second end. Further, the method may include the step of engaging the first notch and the second notch with a radiator support cross member of the motor vehicle.

In addition, the method may include the step of providing an interference fit between the integral seal and an outer surface of the radiator shroud adjacent the chamfered margin. Still further, the method may include the step of extending the integral seal to a merger point between the radiator shroud and the mechanical fan swivel during the assembly of the motor vehicle.

In the following description, there are shown and described several preferred embodiments of the cooling module assembly and the related method of sealing a cooling module assembly for a motor vehicle. As it should be realized, the cooling module assembly and method are capable of other, different embodiments and their several details are capable of modification in various, obvious aspects all without departing from the cooling module assembly and method as set forth and described in the following claims. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions should be regarded as illustrative in nature and not as restrictive.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES

The accompanying drawing figures, incorporated herein and forming a part of the specification, illustrate several aspects of the cooling module assembly and the related method of sealing a cooling module assembly and together with the description serve to explain certain principles thereof. In the drawing figures:

FIG. 1 is a rear perspective view of the cooling module assembly including the radiator module and the charge air cooler module.

FIG. 2 is a detailed rear perspective view of the charge air cooler module including the charge air cooler and the charge air cooler shroud which incorporates an integral seal.

FIG. 3 is a rear perspective view of the radiator shroud of the radiator module illustrating the chamfered margin provided along the bottom portion of the radiator shroud.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross sectional view illustrating how the integral seal of the charge air cooler shroud seals against the outer surface of the radiator shroud adjacent the chamfered margin.

FIG. 5 is an additional cross sectional view illustrating the sealing between the integral seal, the radiator shroud and the mechanical fan swivel of the fully assembled cooling module assembly.

Reference will now be made in detail to the present preferred embodiments of the cooling module assembly and method of sealing a cooling module assembly, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Reference is now made to FIG. 1 illustrating the cooling module assembly 10 for a motor vehicle. As illustrated, that cooling module assembly 10 includes a radiator module, generally designated by reference numeral 12 and a charge air cooler module, generally designated by reference numeral 14. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the radiator module includes a radiator 16 and a radiator shroud 18. As best illustrated in FIG. 3, that radiator shroud 18 includes a chamfered margin 20 along a bottom portion of the radiator shroud.

The charge air cooler module 14 includes a charge air cooler 22 and a charge air cooler shroud 24 with an integral seal 26. In one possible embodiment, the charge air cooler shroud 24 is molded from polypropylene and the integral seal 26 is made from a soft shot of ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) molded into the charge air cooler shroud.

As further illustrated in FIG. 1, the radiator module 12 of the illustrated embodiment includes a mechanical fan swivel 28 and the motor vehicle body includes a radiator support cross member 30.

As best illustrated in FIG. 2, the integral seal 26 of the charge air cooler shroud 24 includes an arcuate edge section 32 along a rear wall thereof. Further, the integral seal 26 includes a first notch 34 at a first end 36 and a second notch 38 at a second end 40.

A method of sealing a cooling module assembly 10 of a motor vehicle may be broadly described as including the steps of mating a body of the motor vehicle, including the radiator module 14 mounted on the radiator support cross member 30 of the body, to the chassis including the charge air cooler module 14 on the support 42. The method further includes providing an air tight seal between (a) the integral seal 26 on the charge air cooler shroud 24 and the radiator shroud 18. The sealing is accomplish during body decking to the chassis which may be an automated operation at the motor vehicle assembly plant.

More specifically, as best shown in FIGS. 1, 4 and 5, the method includes guiding the radiator shroud 18 inside the integral seal 26 of the charge air cooler shroud 24 by means of the chamfered margin 20 along the bottom portion of the radiator shroud. As the decking operation continues, the first and second notches 34, 38 in the first and second ends 36, 40 of the integral seal 26 receive, engage and seal against the radiator support cross member 30. Further, an interference fit is provided between the front face of the integral seal 26 and the outer rear surface 42 of the radiator shroud 18 adjacent and directly above the chamfered margin 20.

Following installation of the mechanical fan F, the mechanical fan swivel 28 is positioned in its operating position with the lip 44 thereof in engagement with the arcuate edge 32 of the integral seal 26 at a merger point between the radiator shroud 18, mechanical fan swivel 28 and the integral seal 26 (see FIG. 5).

Advantageously, the EPDM rubber material of the integral seal 26 slides freely over the radiator shroud 18 thanks to the chamfered margin 20 provided along the bottom portion thereof. Further, the integral seal 26 advantageously provides an interference fit with the radiator shroud 18 at the completion of the body decking operation by contacting the outer rear surface 42 of the radiator shroud. Further vacuum sealing is created by engagement of the mechanical fan F that pulls the integral seal 26 tightly against the radiator shroud 18 sealing any remaining air gaps.

The foregoing has been presented for purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the embodiments to the precise form disclosed. Obvious modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teachings. All such modifications and variations are within the scope of the appended claims when interpreted in accordance with the breadth to which they are fairly, legally and equitably entitled. 

What is claimed:
 1. A cooling module assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising: a radiator module including a radiator and a radiator shroud having a chamfered margin; and a charge air cooler module including a charge air cooler and a charge air cooler shroud with an integral seal wherein an interference fit and seal is provided between said integral seal and said radiator shroud adjacent said chamfered margin.
 2. The cooling module of claim 1, wherein said radiator module includes a mechanical fan swivel and said integral seal includes an arcuate edge section engaging said mechanical fan swivel.
 3. The cooling module of claim 2, wherein the motor vehicle includes a radiator support cross member and said integral seal includes a first notch at a first end and a second notch at a second end receiving and engaging said radiator support cross member.
 4. The cooling module of claim 3, wherein said integral seal is made from ethylene propylene diene monomer.
 5. The cooling module of claim 4, wherein said integral seal seals against an outer surface of said radiator shroud.
 6. The cooling module of claim 1, wherein said radiator module includes a radiator support cross member and said integral seal includes a first notch at a first end and a second notch at a second end receiving and engaging said radiator support cross member.
 7. The cooling module of claim 1, wherein said charge air cooler shroud is made from polypropylene and said integral seal is made from a soft shot of ethylene propylene diene monomer molded into said charge air cooler shroud.
 8. A method of sealing a cooling module assembly for a motor vehicle, comprising: mating a body, including a radiator module, to a chassis including a charge air cooler module; and providing a seal between (a) an integral seal on a charge air cooler shroud of said charge air cooler module and (b) an outer surface of a radiator shroud of said radiator module.
 9. The method of claim 8 including guiding said radiator shroud inside said integral seal of said charge air cooler shroud by means of a chamfered margin of said radiator shroud.
 10. The method of claim 9, including providing said integral seal with an arcuate edge section to engage with a mechanical fan swivel of said radiator module.
 11. The method of claim 10, including providing said integral seal with a first notch at a first end and a second notch at a second end.
 12. The method of claim 11, including engaging said first notch and said second notch with a radiator support cross member of said motor vehicle.
 13. The method of claim 12, including providing an interference fit between said integral seal and an outer surface of said radiator shroud adjacent said chamfered margin.
 14. The method of claim 13, including extending said integral seal to a merger point between said radiator shroud and said mechanical fan swivel. 